


🐠Ad Interim🐠

by Sounddrive



Category: The Arcana (Visual Novel)
Genre: Disabled Character, Disabled Character of Color, F/F, Fluff, Fluff and Humor, Fluff and Mush, Gen, Prosthesis, thearcanasecretcupid2019
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2019-08-04
Updated: 2019-08-04
Packaged: 2020-07-30 14:47:35
Rating: General Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 1
Words: 836
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/20098930
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/Sounddrive/pseuds/Sounddrive
Summary: Portia has to make sure everyone is ready for a pop-up exhibition within the Palace. Everyone, including Geneva, who is helping with an exhibit in an unconventional way.Originally posted on tumblr on Valentine's Day, 2019.





	🐠Ad Interim🐠

**Author's Note:**

> A/N: A gift for clockworkcynic on tumblr for the The Arcana Secret Cupid (2019) event! He wanted a piece with Portia and his fan apprentice, and this is what I wrote in turn!

The palace was going to be hosting a pop-up exhibition of the local wildlife within its walls. It was a mixture of entertaining the masses—to a certain capacity—and educational purposes as well.

There was the expectation to be a gaggle of little ones as well, so every one of the staff had to be extra vigilant when handling some animals. Much to the chagrin of the Peacock Wrangler, Nadia made it a point to emphasize how important it was to keep the peacocks within their pens.

In the meantime, Portia was bustling about, making sure everyone was getting everything ready for the opening. Everyone was just about ready. All she needed to check in on was-

Portia quickened her pace, hurrying to one of the palace guest rooms. She knocked on the door with the sign ‘DO NOT DISTURB’ hanging from the outside.

“Occupied!” a voice from the other side replied.

“Geneva, it’s me!” Portia called through the door. “Can I come in?”

With a sound that sounded like an affirmation, Portia unlocked the door. The sight before her almost made her drop her clipboard onto the floor.

Geneva looked positively radiant, seated outside on the balcony. For the exhibition today, she donned a dress that had a repeating pattern of fishes woven in shimmering, silver thread onto her blue dress. The skirt of it brushed just past her knees, where her glass prosthetics housed some small fish. In addition, there were the expertly positioned pieces of fauna from the local waters. Her powder blue hair was done up in a _fantastic _braid, the sunlight accenting it into a lovely shade of pink and-!

“Whoa, Portia!” Geneva laughed, seeing the handmaiden’s flushed expression. “Did you run all the way here?”

“Er, well-!” Portia stammered. She cleared her throat, closing the door behind her as a smile was plastered on her face. “Can you blame me? You’re going to be a part of one of the most interesting exhibits today! How’re the fish?” She approached her love out on the balcony, the early morning sun gently warming them both.

“Peachy.” Geneva lifted her skirts a little, extending one of her legs out for Portia to examine. Tiny fish swam about, ducking in and out of the patches of leafy covers scattered about.

Portia set down her clipboard, hands gently cradling the sole of Geneva’s feet. The glass was sturdy enough to hold all these fish, she hoped...

“Did you tinker with your legs again?” Portia inquired, glancing up to her. Her calloused hands continued to support the weight of the prosthetic. The red-head could almost swear she could feel little waves as the fish swam by...

“Maybe, maybe not,” Geneva winked. “Can you get me my moccasins? I’m gonna need them for today...”

Portia gently set down the glass leg, winking at Geneva in turn before she went to get her the requested moccasins. She came back as quick as she left, passing them into Geneva’s waiting hands.

As the latter carefully placed them on, Portia’s eyes couldn’t help but soak up every minutiae of Geneva’s being. She was going to be a hit at the exhibition, for sure!

“I’m jealous...”

“Hmm?” Geneva looked up at the handmaiden, blinking in surprise. “Why do you say that?”

Portia pouted, causing Geneva to stand on her feet.

_ “Pasha...”_

_ Oh that **tone**,_ Portia thought. _That’ll be the end of me..._

“Everyone’s gonna be looking at you and I gotta run around all over the place making sure everything is set up right and all that,” Portia admitted. She sighed, looking out over the balcony.

People were already starting to trickle in. Hmm. The Peacock Wrangler was in his station at least, and the Leech Collector was off in their corner, showing off some leeches in some vials to the curious little ones-

Gentle hands touched her shoulders, startling Portia out of her runaway thoughts.

When Portia turned to Geneva, the former opened her mouth to apologize, only to squeak when Geneva firmly planted a cheek on her lips. Portia’s eyes slid shut, her face becoming flush as Geneva pulled her closer, deeping their kiss.

When they came up for air, a gentle morning breeze ruffled their hair.

_ Oh she’s beautiful,_ they both thought.

“Okay, what was _that _about?” Portia teased, swallowing. Her heart hammered away in her chest, almost making her weak in the knees.

Geneva coughed, rubbing her neck. “I’m not going anywhere without you, Pasha,” she reminded the handmaiden. “Don’t you remember? Nadia assigned you to be with me.”

Portia’s jaw went slack. Oh. _Oh..._the Countess _did _say that, didn’t she?

“Now I feel silly!” Portia laughed, shaking her head.

“It’s okay, it’s okay!” Geneva reassured. She leaned forward, peppering Portia’s face with an abundance of tiny, playful pecks. Portia giggled at the contact, hugging her love closer to her bosom.

They needed to get downstairs for the exhibition, but...

A few minutes, standing together like this wouldn’t hurt. It wouldn’t hurt in the least.


End file.
